Zubeen Garg 'above politics', cremation site not for political arena: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on February 20 said late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg was “above politics” and urged leaders not to turn his cremation ground into a political arena, even as she sharply criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his attacks on state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi.

After paying homage at ‘Zubeen Khetra’ in Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati, Vadra said her visit was solely to offer respects. “Zubeen Garg was above politics. His cremation ground should be a sacred place and should not be used for politics,” she told reporters.

Responding to questions about Sarma’s repeated allegations linking Gogoi to Pakistan, Vadra described the line of attack as divisive and unnecessary.

“There are two types of leaders in politics — one who does positive politics and the other who does polarisation. Gaurav Gogoi is doing the politics of love,” she said.

She maintained that Gogoi is “a positive person, and wants to bring positivity in politics”, adding that this was the reason he was being targeted. “People of Assam understand this. But the attacks on Gaurav and his family are the wrong politics. Nobody should attack the family and children (of a political leader),” she said.

Vadra urged the chief minister to shift focus to governance. Rather than pursuing personal attacks, she said, the state government should address the concerns of young people and women seeking employment. Allegations of corruption, she added, reflected “a betrayal of the people of the state”.

Her remarks come amid an escalating war of words between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Assam, with the controversy over Gogoi’s alleged Pakistan links dominating recent political exchanges.